Injury Prevention - Middle School

Important injury prevention concepts include fire and water safety; first aid prevention and care for injuries; pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicle safety; prevention of violence, including suicide; and the use of protective equipment during work and sports and other leisure activities.

I. Each school district and chartered public school shall develop a policy that guides the development and implementation of a coordinated plan to prevent, assess the risk of, intervene in, and respond to suicide. The policy shall include, but shall not be limited to, the following provisions:

(a) Training school faculty and staff, including contracted personnel and designated school volunteers, in youth suicide risk factors, warning signs, protective factors, response procedures, referrals, post-intervention, and resources available within the school and community consistent with the provisions of paragraph II.

(b) Educating students in the importance of safe and healthy choices and coping strategies, recognizing risk factors and warning signs of mental disorders and suicide in oneself and others, and providing help-seeking strategies for oneself or others, including how to engage school resources and refer friends for help.

(c) Identifying within the school the person or persons who serve as the point of contact when a student is believed to be at an elevated risk for suicide.

(d) Making referral, crisis intervention, and other related information, both within the school and the community, available for students, parents, faculty, staff, and school volunteers.

(e) Promoting cooperative efforts between school districts, chartered public schools, and community suicide prevention program personnel.